Matariki Explained

This week has been all about Matariki. You may have seen Matariki art work coming home, or Matariki songs being sung around the house. Perhaps you have been engaging in discussions about stars and what they signify.

But what is Matariki exactly?

Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades that rises in mid-winter.

Celebrating Matariki is a fairly new concept to many New Zealanders. We never talked about it or learned about it throughout my schooling (in the 80s and 90s) and it has only become a recognised national holiday in the past couple of years. With this in mind I thought I would share a few of the materials and information we have been learning in class.

Matariki is an important time in the Māori calendar – it signifies Māori New Year. Historically, new year celebrations provided the opportunity for whānau to come together to acknowledge the year gone by, prepare and plan for the year ahead; to celebrate with kai, kōrero (conversation), ceremony and entertainment. 

There are many stories and ideas about what the 9 stars signify. The tamariki have listened to stories and read books where they represent fish who were thrown up into the sky by a net, or where they are mean fairy women who were banished to the skies, or where they are kites that were blown up there by the winds... there is no one definitive answer as to what they truly represent.

However the stars do all have names (you will hear these in one of the songs we are learning) and each one is representative of something.

Here are the 9 Matariki stars

Waitā represents food gathered from the sea. This star encourages us to respect our coasts, oceans, and marine life. 
Waitī represents fresh water. This star encourages us to respect rivers, lakes, wetlands, springs, and the plants & animals that live in fresh water. 

Waipuna ā rangi represents water from the sky. This star encourages us to respect rain, snow, and hail, as well as frosts and rainbows!
Pōhutakawa represents memories of treasured people who have passed on. This star encourages us to take time to remember loved ones and to acknowledge their impact on our lives. 

Tupuānuku represents food grown in the ground. This star encourages us to respect vegetables and plants such as potato, kumara, onion, and carrots. 
Tupuārangi represents food that comes from above. This star encourages us to respect birds, and fruit/ vegetables from trees. 

Ururangi represents the wind. This star encourages us to respect the air we breathe, and the winds that help to give power and energy. 
Hiwa i te Rangi represents our hopes, dreams, and wishes. This star encourages us to take a step into the unknown, to plan to succeed, and to make our dreams come true. 

Matariki represents reflection, hope, our connection to the environment, and the health and wellbeing of our people. This star encourages us to connect with one another, spend time with loved ones, share a meal with friends and family, and see people you haven't seen in a while. 

Here are the lyrics to the Matariki song we have been learning. This will be performed at the celebration tomorrow night

Waitī, Waitā, Waipunarangi,
Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Ururangi e

Koinei ngā tamariki o Matariki
(These are the children of Matariki)
Ngā whetū e pīataata i te rangi e
(The bright stars that shine in the sky)
Ngā whetū e pīataata i te rangi e
(The bright stars that shine in the sky)

The tamariki have been engaged in all sorts of activities that embrace the concepts and values of Matariki. 

Nurturing Independence and Collaboration: The Montessori Way

Montessori “classrooms are unique” environments that celebrate both independence and collaboration among our tamariki. In our classrooms, children are encouraged to choose, use, and take care of their learning materials and surroundings, empowering them to become confident, responsible learners.

Independence is a cornerstone of the Montessori philosophy and we believe in providing our tamariki with the freedom to explore and engage in their learning journey at their own pace. With a wide array of carefully curated materials, our children can select activities that capture their interests and match their developmental needs. As they work independently, they cultivate a sense of self-reliance and take ownership of their learning experiences.

While our children are encouraged to work independently, they also understand that seeking help is a valuable part of the learning process. We foster a culture of openness, where tamariki are not only welcome but encouraged to seek assistance not only from our teachers but also from their older classmates. This approach aligns with the traditional Māori philosophy of tuakana-teina, emphasizing the reciprocal relationship between older and younger tamariki. Older or more experienced children readily lend their support to their younger peers, and vice versa, creating a supportive and inclusive community of learners.

Collaboration is not only celebrated but actively nurtured within our Montessori classrooms. Our tamariki are given opportunities to work with friends, encouraging them to share ideas and problem-solving strategies. When children experience similar sensitive periods in their development, they often find natural connections and work together to explore their interests and passions. These partnerships provide valuable opportunities for social skill development, including turn-taking, respecting differences, and making new friends.

At CMS, we align our practices with New Zealand's early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki. We strongly embrace the Contribution strand, where children learn to treat others fairly, include their peers, and utilize a range of strategies and skills to play and learn together.

We are proud to witness our tamariki grow into independent, compassionate, and collaborative learners, well-prepared for their future endeavours. Together, we continue to nurture a Montessori environment that honours the individuality of each child while fostering a strong sense of community and belonging. 

Children Learn Through Their Senses

Introducing Exciting New Literacy Tools to our children

Huge thanks to the Two Todman Community fund in Brooklyn for donating money to purchase exciting new literacy tools to our children– Cursive Sandpaper Letters and a Moveable Alphabet! These new materials add tremendous value to our literacy programme.  

Literacy is in a dismal state in our country. The teaching of handwriting, especially cursive handwriting, has become unfashionable in mainstream schools where digital tools are increasingly favoured. Even though research shows that writing letters by hand activates parts of the brain that are not activated by typing or tracing letters alone, teachers are rarely trained to teach handwriting in the classroom.

Maria Montessori developed Cursive Sandpaper Letters for her students. These letters engage students because they are sensorial. Children trace the letters with their fingers, then ‘scribble’ them in a sandbox. This sensory process lays the foundation for later use of pencil and paper.

Montessori Sandpaper Letters provide a natural developmental pathway for children to learn the beginnings of writing from the motor skills involved in scribble drawing. Cursive letters improve muscle memory and strengthen letter recognition, especially with reversed letters such as b/d. Research indicates that it is easier for children with learning difficulties such as dysgraphia (estimated to affect 5-20% of children) to learn cursive handwriting. Here, our children also learn letters phonetically and are able to spell simple words with the Moveable Alphabet before they are able to physically write them.

We are inspired by the progress we see our children making using these exceptional learning tools. We are grateful to the Two Todman fund for making a tangible difference in the classroom and to our children’s lives. 

Interested in learning more about the materials we use in a Montessori preschool classroom and how Montessori can support your child? Get in touch to organise a visit.

Montessori At Home - Float and Sink by Lucy Kean

It can be a challenge to keep our tamariki occupied with so much time at home during Level 4 restrictions. The children are missing their friends and teachers as well as the routines and activities they normally enjoy each day. Our whanau has been practising Montessori at home by recreating some favourite activities from the Capital Montessori classroom.

Marlon is a member of the Koru classroom. His current favourite exercise is Sink and Float. We put our own lockdown spin on it by comparing items found in the natural environment to items found at home. During our daily walk/bike around the neighbourhood we stopped along the way for Marlon to collect some interesting items from nature. When we got home we collected items from around the home.

Marlon helped fill a large bowl with water and arranged all of the items we had collected around it. He had a lot of fun testing whether each item would sink or float and then putting each item into a corresponding bowl. Then tipping them all out and doing it all over again...and again!

This is a great activity that enables you to discuss what objects are made of, whether they are filled with air, and in this case, whether they were from nature or manufactured. Marlon noticed that most of the natural objects floated.

He even took some time to spontaneously practise using a peg. This is another activity he enjoys working on in the classroom and he has improved a lot since his days at Rata!

Make sure you have a bucket, cloth and mop handy. Marlon enjoyed playing with the water and emptying the bucket and he took pride in cleaning up the spills when he had completed the activity.

“most of the natural objects floated”